19 rifles of local terrorists seized in Cotabato operation

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Soldiers seized 19 assault rifles found inside an abandoned house in an interior area in Pahamuddin, Cotabato that they raided on Monday, January 20, with the help of local executives and traditional Moro elders.

Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, told reporters on Tuesday, January 21, that the group keeping the combat weapons in Barangay Lower Panagkalan in Pahamuddin fled hastily bringing their firearms and personal belongings when they sensed that personnel of the 34th Infantry Battalion were approaching their location, guided by barangay officials.

The weapons cache, consisting of  M14 and M16 assault rifles and a .30 caliber Garand rifle, is now in the custody of the 34th IB, whose battalion command post is in nearby Midsayap town also in Cotabato province.

Pahamuddin is one of the eight newly created predominantly Moro towns inside the territory of Cotabato province in Administrative Region 12, but are under the Bangsamoro regional government.

Soldiers launched the anti-terror operation after villagers, among them Muslim preachers, reported the presence in the area of members of the now moribund Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Dawlah Islamiya, overheard talking about their plan to collect money from merchants in Pahamuddin for their food and other needs.

Nafarrete said the confiscated firearms are now in the custody of the 34th IB.

Local executives in Midsayap and Pahamuddin told reporters that among the villagers who informed the officials of the 34th IB about their sightings of armed men in Barangay Lower Panagkalan are former members of the BIFF and the Dawlah Islamiya who have pledged allegiance to the government and are now thriving peacefully as farmers in agricultural enclaves in both towns.